Brigades’ WAFL inclusion

Brigades have heightened their credentials as a premiership fancy after the inclusion of former WAFL players Justin Monaco and Nick Chidgzey.

The two will travel from Perth each week and are expected to play the bulk of fixtures this season after Leith Teakle contacted the pair about playing for the Hawks.

Brigades have gone into the grand final arguably the favourites for the past two years, though are yet to come away with any silverware.

Chidgzey played alongside Teakle at East Fremantle for a time before moving to Claremont, and finished his WAFL career with 78 league appearances for the two clubs.

Long-running knee injuries have marred the small forward’s career, but Teakle said if he could stay fit, he would be a boon.

“Nick’s a real quality player and should offer us plenty, ” he said.

“He’s got elite skills and is a real smart user of the footy, so will be handy on the outside for us and can run through the midfield as well.”

Monaco played 12 league games in two years at East Fremantle in 2011 and 2012 before heading to Fremantle Oval to join Souths in 2013. He made eight league appearances for the Bulldogs before having a year off football last year. He was set to continue that hiatus, before Teakle dangled the carrot.

“He’s a real big body and has kept himself fit so he’ll be very handy for us probably at centre half forward or centre half back, ” Teakle said.

“He may even swing through the ruck from time to time, we’ll just weigh it all up.”

Brigades coach Peter Watters was happy the two had jumped on board, and hopes they bring plenty to the club.

“Hopefully those couple of blokes will bring the same professionalism that Dom Foster and David Bongiascia brought to the club last year, and we can really use them as tools to teach the young blokes as well, ” he said.

Foster and Bongiascia have both elected to stay in the metropolitan area this season.

The Hawks have also lost Erin and Murray McCartney and Chris Bell to Dongara, while Henry Perham and Harrison King have moved to Perth to join East Fremantle, though Watters says youngsters Aiden Wainwright and Sam Perkusich will stand up in their absence.

Monaco and Chidgzey are both expected to feature in the Lightning Carnival in Northampton on April 18, before the season opener on Anzac Day.